Free Immortal Distraction by Elizabeth Finn Page B

hated it because she liked it.
    “I’ll take you to the polygrapher. Follow me.” She turned from him and led the way down the adjoining corridor to the spare office the polygrapher used when he had business at their precinct.
    Polygraph wasn’t something Brit preferred to use in an investigation. She couldn’t take it to court, and the DA would be furious if she even tried to pass it off as evidence. But Angus had offered, and she wasn’t willing to let that slide. He wasn’t her suspect, so there was little chance anything she gleaned from his polygraph would actually end up in court, but she wanted to see how he responded nonetheless.
    He followed closely at her shoulder, and when they were halfway down the corridor, she felt his fingers run lightly down the back of her arm. She was wearing a gauzy, navy-blue, long-sleeve Henley with gray pinstripe slacks, and his touch was easily felt through the thin fabric of her shirt. She fought to control her reaction to his touch, and swallowing over a lump in her throat, she did her best to ignore him, but her body started trembling as she kept walking and warmth was radiating out from the place on the back of her upper arm that his fingers had just touched.
    “How are you?” They weren’t alone in the corridor, but his voice was warm, seductive, and quiet as they walked.
    “I’m fine.” And then she stopped and rounded toward him. “Aren’t you the least bit concerned that you’re getting ready to be polygraphed about a subject you’ve already admitted you know more about than you’ve been willing to divulge?” She was trying to throw him off his game, not exactly expecting it to work. It never worked with him, but she thought this of all things might warrant a reaction of some sort from him.
    “There’s little that worries me, Brit.” And then winking at her, he continued, “Shall we?” And he strolled down the corridor away from her. She caught up to him and led the remainder of the way to the office. She’d already filled the polygrapher in on what she was trying to determine, and after introducing the two, she left them alone together in the office.
    Michael Emerson was one of the best polygraphers in the city, and she trusted his abilities. It wouldn’t matter in court, but she knew whatever results he obtained would be as accurate as any. He was an older man with silver hair and a calm disposition. Brit took a seat on a bench in the hallway, intent on waiting until they finished, but after about fifteen minutes, Chief Childers found her and pulled her away for an update on the case.
    There was little she could tell him, and when she mentioned she had a subject in polygraph, he appeared none too happy with her, especially given the fact she had no real evidence aside from a few random comments from Angus that he was obstructing her investigation. Her saving grace was the fact that Angus had offered to take the polygraph, and even that seemed only to calm Childers reservations slightly.
    When Brit made her way back to the corridor, she found Michael strolling toward her with his equipment in tow and Angus strolling away from them both toward the front lobby. But when Brit met Mike, rather than stopping to speak with her, he waltzed right on by giving her nothing more than a casual greeting. She stalled in her confusion, turning to stare after him. “Wait, Mike…” He stopped and turned to her, smiling.
    “Yes, Detective. Can I help you?” He was smiling and as friendly as always.
    “Hey, Angus!” She called after him as he stopped, turned on his heel, and smirked back at her. When she looked from him to Mike in confusion, Angus waltzed casually toward them, never losing his smirk.
    Brit turned back to Mike. “Well? I mean … the polygraph? Angus Scott?” She indicated Angus as he made his way toward them. Mike looked at her confused, and she matched his confusion with her own utter shock and perplexed expression.
    “I’m sorry. I’m not